-mac dies

• idk if from mugging gone wrong or hate crime
• whole fic is him spiritually flitting around, unsure of why he ended up in purgatory instead of heaven
• figures he has unfinished business of some sort and tries to discern what that might be
• (ofc its unresolved feelings for dennis)
• the gang doesnt really notice his absence except dennis, who bitches about it the day after he dies; 'maybe he went home with some guy' 'no, no, he told me explicitly that hed be back last night' 'well you know mac' 'i DO and thats why im fuckin pissed!!'
• a few days go by with dennis getting increasingly angry (worried)
• all the while mac is trying to interact with them/the world around them but cant. follows dennis around in boredom, trying to give him hints taht hes died.
• eventually, in the bar, as theyre huddled around the tv watchin shit out of boredom (slow day) a news report comes on about a john doe the police need help id'ing and list off some of macs features
• uncomfortable aura descends upon the bar as they all think: well, that could be mac. charlie is the first to bring it up, which starts an argument with dennis who is adament against it. mac screeeeeem at him; tries to possess the tv to speak through it but only ends up making the tv flicker a lil bit
• dennis ends up going down to the mortuary, talking languidly with the mortician who asks how he might know the body, 'my roomates missing. im sure this isnt him, but, you know. better safe than sorry.'
• mortician pulls back body sheet and ofc its mac, but his face has been beat to hell in an effort to make him as unrecognizeable as possible. mac goes 'holy shit' at the same time dennis does
• dennis confirms the body, and then has to go into the bathroom to collect himself. mac is soooo sad he cant comfort him as he calls dee and in a choked voice tells her that mac is dead
• later that night they end up back in their apartment. mac doesnt really expect much mourning or griefing to come from dennis, but is surprised when, as he goes to sleep, he goes into macs room and lays in his bed
• mac lays down beside him, staring into dennis' eyes as dennis just stares blindly forward, an angry twitch in his jaw. mac apologizes over and over but dennis doesnt hear him at all
• dennis gets no sleep, and doesnt go into work. he leaves the apartment but mac doesnt follow him; instead he floats around to his mom, and is there when she gets the news he's dead and is dismayed that she doesnt care
• he goes to the prison to see if his dad gives a shit and is present for when the warden informs him his son is dead and luther is like 'i have no son wdym'
• angered, mac tries breaking shit around the apartment but he still cant interact with anyuthing. he ends up ghostly crying by heself for a little bit
• (a few uneventful days pass by, during which mac is feeling real sorry for himself, bc it seems no one gives a shit he died for real, but in reality the gang is mourning in their own weird way.
• about a week later and mac is so fed up with this ghost shit. why cant i move on god!!! why!!!!! no one can hear me!!!!!!! did u just want me to suffer??? is htis hell?????
• dennis lays in his bed again randomly one night and mac lays down beside him, wishing he could touch him or speak to him or anything.
• surprising him, dennis says, 'i can see you, you know.' and mac sits up so happy like bro!!! can you really!! holy shit dude- but then realizes dennis cant actually at all and lays back down sadly
• he stares into dennis' eyes as dennis monologues about how he sees him everywhere now that hes gone. 'some asshole came into the bar wearing your stupid shitty cologne and i got so mad i kicked him out'
• just a really, really sad time as dennis tries to get some closure and mac wishes with his whole being to just be able to touch him one last time
• mac talks back to him even tho dennis cant hear him. 'im going to burn the duster' 'no man, you can keep it. you can keep anything of mine if it reminds you of me.'
• dennis hasnt been sleeping well (if at all) since mac died but when he does finally go to sleep, mac tries to cuddle up around him and sleep as well
• mac ends up inside dennis' dream, wherein dennis comes in to rescue him as hes being beaten to death and saves him and mac is so, so happy that dennis can see and hear him for once
• somehow convinces dennis that this isnt just a dream, and that hes been a ghost this whole time and this is it. mac just knows that this is what hes been hanging around for and after dennis wakes up, hell have moved on to the afterlife
• 'and by the time dennis woke up, mac was gone.'
• dennis is angry at first, in the dream. then hes just fucking sad. 'whenever i thought about my future, you were always a part of it. i know i hate you, but i think i have love and hate confused.' etc
• mac apologizes for dying, tells dennis he doesnt have to wait for him 'iw asnt going to/i doubt ill find anyone who can put up with me as well as you could' 'i know you werent but let me have this. i think im on my way out now' '???' 'i dont want to go though, i wanted to be with you' 'well we cant be now'
• just some really heartfelt stuff. mac reveals how upset he is that his family didnt care about his death and starts crying, and dennis comforts him, and tells him that the gang will miss him forever or somethin
• the dream starts collapsing, someone makes an inception joke, but then they both get serious when they realize that this is it. their last words. mac just goes for it and fuckin kisses dennis and theyre both kinda cryin
• they embrace really tight, and then dennis wakes up.
• an epilogue has mac uncomfortably standing in front of an angel (ezekiels wheel type thing) and is just so sad. he asks to be back with dennis but the angel denies his request
• instead he does him one better: 'as in hell, your eternal life in heaven is personal to you'
• then phases him into an ideal version of his life; sets him up on the curb outside paddys pub and mac is so excited
• he walks in with an AYOOOOO and at the bar, dennis turned to great him with a smile